×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Friday
09
Oct 2026
weather symbol
Athens 27°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Paper straws contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’ — could be worse than plastic: study

The new research comes following multiple initiatives enforced by numerous US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban disposable plastic suckers

Newsroom August 28 06:26

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

It could be the straw that broke the eco-worrier’s back.

Paper straws might not be the “eco-friendly” drinking tube they’ve been promoted to be: Belgian researchers found that these so-called “green” utensils are toxic and therefore potentially worse for the environment than their much-vilified plastic counterparts, according to a new study published in the journal Food Additives & Contaminants.

“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” Thimo Groffen, Ph.D., study author and an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said in a statement. “However, the presence of PFAS [poly- and perfluoroalkyl-based substances known as “forever chemicals” because they last for a long time before breaking down] in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”

The new research comes following multiple initiatives enforced by numerous US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban disposable plastic suckers comprised of polypropylene and polystyrene, which take hundreds of years to decompose and are linked to health problems from liver problems to birth defects.

“Their time has come and gone. I believe we should get rid of plastic straws,” NYC Mayor de Blasio said in 2018 after the City Council introduced a proposal to prohibit restaurants and bars from distributing plastic sippers.

>Related articles

Mediterranean warming and becoming saltier at an accelerating rate, new study finds

New study links gender ideology support to higher tolerance for left-wing political violence

Over 90 specializations and 860 programs announced for Greece’s public higher vocational training schools in 2026–2027

more at nypost.com

also read

Pfizer Documents Show COVID-19 Vaccines Contain Potentially Harmful ‘Modified’ RNA, Not mRNA

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#climate#paper straws#plastic straws#study
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Putin offers to mediate peace in the Middle East: “We are ready to help”

October 9, 2026

Roman-era ceramic vessels, plates, bowls and trays found in a 2,100-year-old shipwreck off Antalya

October 9, 2026

Explosion at Motor Oil facilities in Agioi Theodoroi, two injured

October 9, 2026

ELSTAT: Inflation jumped to 5% in September, fuel prices rallied, rents rose by 14.7%

October 9, 2026

“Let’s see who backs down first”: The riots in France that is putting Macron under pressure (videos)

October 9, 2026

The mysterious radio signal from a planet beyond the Solar System: What exactly did scientists detect?

October 9, 2026

Alarm bells in the Eurozone over bonds: Borrowing costs in France at a 25-year high, why isn’t the ECB intervening?

October 9, 2026

Mitsotakis on Greek-Turkish Relations: “There’s a light breeze in the Aegean” – The electricity cable can move forward without any concessions on our sovereign rights

October 9, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα